On January 9th, 2023, Lynette Hardaway, known as “Diamond” from the conservative political commentary duo “Diamond and Silk,” passed away at the age of 51. Hardaway was a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump and his right-wing policies, earning Internet and television fame. Her sister Rochelle Richardson, known as ‘Silk,’ also forms the other half of the duo.
Rise to Prominence
Diamond and Silk rose to fame during the 2016 campaign season when they campaigned for Trump, despite facing criticism from people who called them “sellouts” and worse. They quickly became well-known for their controversial take on various policies, leading to a following of 347,000 YouTube subscribers.
Television and Media Appearances
The duo leveraged their online fame for various network television appearances and regular roles at Fox News. During the 2016 campaign cycle, Diamond and Silk appeared on stage in support of Trump, who embraced them amid accusations of racism and sexism.
However, the duo’s promotion of false information about COVID-19 eventually led to them getting dropped from Fox News and brief suspension from Twitter.
They eventually landed at Newsmax, a far-right cable news, and digital media company, where they hosted three seasons of their talk show “Diamond and Silk: Crystal Clear.”
Political Views and Net Worth
The public net worth of Diamond and Silk is not known. Despite being vocal supporters of Trump’s policies and switching political parties to support him in his bid for the presidency, they gained only about 8% of the Black vote in the 2016 general election.
Legacy
Diamond’s unexpected death was mourned by former President Donald Trump and the pair’s verified Twitter account, which asked followers to “please pray for Diamond” in a November tweet.
The duo’s outspoken political views made them a unique figure in conservative politics, and their unapologetic support for Trump earned them an appearance at his inauguration in 2017 and eventually a visit to the White House.
While their career occasionally had its controversies, Diamond and Silk’s presence in right-wing media helped to diversify the voices in conservative political commentary.